​Maymester

Since 2011, the history department has taken dozens of students on journeys that have begun in a classroom and ended in Germany, Poland, Hungary, England, Ireland, or Japan.

The Maymester course combines a week of intense study at PC on a specific issue and region with up to two weeks of international travel to those countries and sites. The course begins immediately following the end of the spring semester so that students will be able to return home in time for summer jobs, internships, and other activities. This course is approved for academic credit by the College and is the coordinated effort of the Department of History, the Center for International Studies, the School of Continuing Education, and a College-approved tour company.

An informational session about the following spring’s Maymester is offered to students every fall. The session also provides information on deposit deadlines and procedures for registration. We urge all students to consider enrolling in at least one Maymester course during their undergraduate years. In a world that is becoming increasingly global and diverse, the exposure to other cultures through a Maymester course is invaluable.

Next year's Maymester (2015), titled Japan and the US, 1853-Present: Image and Power, will include travel to historic sites in Tokyo, Hiroshima, Kyoto, and many others. The course will be led by Professors Manchester and Jaundrill of the History Department, as well as by Professor Sung of the Art Department. This Maymester course will also satisfy a range of requirements. See our brochure for more!

Highlights of Previous Maymester Courses

Maymester 2014: The Rise of the Polis and the Birth of Classical Greece

The last Maymester [2014], The Rise of the Polis and the Birth of Classical Greece, combined academic study and travel to Greece. The course surveyed ancient Greek history and showcased the archaeology, architecture, and religion of Western Civilization’s earliest foundations. The travel portion of the course included on-site lectures by archaeologists, art historians, and historians working on the sites.

Maymester 2013: The U. S. and Japan in the Modern Era

The study portion of this major economic power provided the background for travel to this “Land of the Rising Sun.” Its cultural setting dating back to 30,000 B.C. offered students an extraordinary and unforgettable experience of Japanese culture and history.

Maymester 2012: Roman Britain and Early Christian Ireland: A Clash of Cultures

A week of intense study was followed by 12 days of travel to Fishbourne Palace, Stonehenge, Hadrian’s Wall, Newgrange, Glendalough, and Skellig Michael in such exciting locations as Chichester, Newcastle, Dublin, and Kilkenny.

Maymester 2011: Cold War Flashpoints

Five days of classroom study about the Cold War era in Eastern Europe were followed by two weeks of memorable travel in Berlin, Gdansk, Warsaw, and Budapest.